Kady Dandeneau takes her place on UNBC Timberwolves Wall of Honour

There may be no one who better exemplifies what a UNBC Timberwolf should be on the court without mentioning the name Kady Dandeneau.

Over the course of a historic career, Dandeneau emerged as the heartbeat of a program, raising the bar and setting the gold standard for commitment, making her a truly deserving inductee into the UNBC Timberwolves Wall of Honour.

Dandeneau made her way onto UNBC coach Loralyn Murdoch’s radar at the BC High School Provincial Championships, impressing with her relentless game representing Stelly’s Secondary.

After a visit to campus, she accepted a spot on Murdoch’s roster for the 2007-2008 season de-committing from Camosun College.

“She was 17-year-old, and she was such an interesting recruit. She wore headphones most of the time, she didn’t speak to anyone, and was clearly shy,” said Murdoch.

“But then we put her on the court and there was absolutely no one who competed harder. I wanted her immediately, and recognized what she could add to our roster. It was a great day for this coach to officially sign Kady Dandeneau.”

It didn’t take long for the first-year to step right into the lineup and make a difference.

Led by veterans Laurel Wallace and Jaclyn Nazareno, the Timberwolves went 11-5, good for second place in the BCCAA standings.

Dandeneau scored 12.3 points per game, which was good for top-ten in the conference while adding just shy of 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

“I know that Kady was a rookie, but it’s hard for me to remember her that way. Kady was never really ever a rookie, not in spirit,” said teammates Soili Smith, who was in her third UNBC campaign that season.

“I don’t think I ever met someone so devoted to the game of basketball. She was unafraid to take anyone one-on-one and, like her idol Michael Jordan, took every play by an opponent personally.”

In the playoffs, the first-year continued to assert herself, as the Timberwolves went on a tremendous run, culminating in a 71-54 victory over Camosun and a BCCAA Provincial Championship.

At the conclusion of the season, she was named to the All-Rookie Team, and was crowned UNBC Rookie of the Year.

Year two saw continued growth and a massive impact of the program, as Dandeneau utilized her signature commitment to grow as a player.

The Timberwolves went 14-4, again finishing second in the BCCAA standings.

They would settle for a Provincial silver medal after a loss to rival Camosun, but Dandeneau further established herself as a premier player in the conference.

She scored 223 points (third in BCCAA) for 12.4 points per game (5th), to go along with 7.2 rebounds per game (6th) and 2.2 assists (top-20).

2009-2010 was slated to be Dandeneau’s breakout season. Gone were program stalwarts like Nazareno and Wallace, but she was surrounded by veterans Jennifer Clyne and Christine Kennedy, as well as a rookie class that included Mercedes VanKoughnett, Emily Kaehn, and Jennifer Bruce.

In the first half the year, she was as advertised. Midway through the season, Dandeneau was leading the BCCAA with 18.3 points per game and the TWolves were sitting first in the conference.

On January 23, 2010, disaster struck.

On a two-on-one break, she attempted a layup, was pushed, and landed awkwardly on her leg. Displaying her signature toughness, Dandeneau rehabbed her knee and returned, albeit in a limited capacity, for the final two games of the season.

In a practice preparing for the upcoming BCCAA playoffs, she crumpled to the floor in devastating pain.

The injury was revealed to be a complete ACL tear, MCL tear, meniscus, and a fracture of the medial femoral condyle.

“Kady was so important and so effective for us because of her physical strength, high basketball IQ, and fierce competitiveness. She really could dominate from anywhere,” said longtime teammate Mercedes VanKoughnett.

“If defenders tried to take away the drive, she would make a three. Her versatility was really unmatched. She could score from any position, and she could defend 1 through 5. It set her apart from most every player in the league.”

With their fiery star sidelined, the Timberwolves would lose in the conference playoff tournament. Dandeneau finished the season averaging 16.2 points per game, leading the team and placing third in the conference.

The Timberwolves embarked on the 2010-2011 season without Dandeneau, as she worked diligently to rehabilitate a career-altering injury.

UNBC went 13-5 without her, even earning a BCCAA bronze medal.

Dandeneau made her much-anticipated return to the court for the 2011-2012 season; a year that would mark UNBC’s final run in the collegiate ranks before moving up to the CIS.

The Timberwolves would go 15-1, galvanized by her return, securing first place in the standings heading into the playoffs.

She would score 10.4 points per game, which was second on the team and top-20 in the conference.

In the playoffs, the Timberwolves returned to the top of the mountain, topping the VIU Mariners 62-53 in the provincial final.

At the CCAA National Championships, Dandeneau put a stamp on her incredible comeback, earning All-Star status at the tournament.

In 2012-2013, UNBC made the leap to CIS, to compete with the biggest universities in the country.

The T-Wolves went 8-14 in their inaugural season, as Dandeneau’s limited minutes and availability resulted in 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

In the years after Kady moved on from UNBC, she was eligible to compete in wheelchair basketball.

Dandeneau has represented Canada and competed at multiple World Championships, won gold and silver at the ParaPan Am Games, and led Canada to its best.

In the gold medal game at the 2019 ParaPan Ams, she became the first wheelchair basketball athlete in Canadian history to record a triple-double after a thrilling 67-64 victory over the United States.

Dandeneau concluded her career in Green and Gold with 983 points and 407 rebounds, both good for second in program history, as well as 147 assists (7th).

No one was tougher. No one was more resilient. No one wanted to win quite as badly.

Today, Kady Dandeneau takes her rightful place in the UNBC Timberwolves Wall of Honour.

Congrats, Kady. We could not be more proud.

READ: https://t.co/Ts1m1wLprs pic.twitter.com/jsTmSPkGiC

— UNBC Timberwolves (@UNBCATHLETICS) July 21, 2025